Unity

Hermione quickly realized the difference between Gryffindors and Slytherins. When Gryffindors picked on someone, they did it publicly, and did not hide it. Slytherins on the other hand hid it remarkably well. She always just missed the culprit after they sent a tripping hex at her, or whispered an insult as they rounded a corner. She soon realized that Dumbledore’s idea of school unity was not being very fruitful. But the Slytherin’s nastiness wasn’t going to stop her. She realized that it was time to resort to more drastic measures. There was a reason that she was placed in Slytherin after all; one doesn’t switch so drastically without a reason. Which brought the enigma of Draco Malfoy to mind. Since that first confrontation in their common room, they seemed to be fine. They respected each other’s space, and were almost cordial to one another. He would smile at her for no reason. They would sit in comfortable silence while they were reading. He was always courteous and it was a little unnerving. However, she didn’t have time to focus on the enigma that was Draco Malfoy. She had a certain house full of Slytherins to prank.

She set her plan into action on a Sunday night, after everyone had gone to bed. As Head Girl she had access to all the House dorms. She crept into the Slytherin common room and placed a silence charm on the entire dorm so that the bells could not be heard by the sleeping students. Then she snuck into all the rooms and turned off wand alarms and clocks to make sure that no one would wake at the right time. Then she quietly snuck back out of the dorm and went back to her room. As she walked through her common room she heard a chuckle from the armchair facing the fireplace.

“I’m shocked Granger. I had money on you waiting another week before you retaliated. You are more vicious than I thought. You just won someone several galleons.” He said as he laughed and watched as her cheeks turned red with a blush. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. If you need any help, let me know. I wouldn’t mind getting some revenge on my housemates.”

“Wha….how…huh?” She stammered as she gaped at him, completely gobsmacked that he knew what she had been doing.

“You’re kinda cute when you stammer like that. Hermione Granger, speechless. I kinda like it, and all because of me. You better watch it, you do this too much it might inflate my ego, and as we know it’s already large enough as it is.” He said as he got up and walked past on his way to his room. “Don’t worry no on else knows you were even out tonight, so your trick is safe.”

She continued to stand there in shock. Malfoy knew what she was doing and he was going to let her get away with it. And on top of that he called her cute. What was going on? Was the world completely bonkers? She sighed with resignation and went upstairs to go to bed; it was late after all.

The next morning, Hermione walked into the Great Hall to find the entire Slytherin table empty, and the professors were all staring in shock at the empty benches and forlorn food waiting to be consumed. She snickered to herself and sat down on the bench, pulling the plate of eggs and plate of sausage towards her. A few minutes after she sat down, Draco came in to the great hall and sat down next to her greeting her with a nod and a brilliant smile. A cough from behind her made her turn around and be met with a black wall. She looked up into the eyes of her new head of house, and smirked to herself. They had no way of knowing she was the culprit. As far as they knew, she was awake because she slept in another part of the castle completely.

“Miss Granger, would you happen to know where the rest of your housemates are?” He asked with a knowing smirk on his face.

“I have no idea Professor. It is a little early, maybe they just decided to skip breakfast or are just running late.” She smiled innocently at him.

“Well perhaps you might accompany me down to the dungeons to check on them.”

“Why of course sir. Can I eat my breakfast first?” He grinned at her and nodded his head as he turned and walked back up to the front table. A snicker from her side drew her attention to a certain blonde haired Slytherin.

“You really are a Slytherin. Your conniving is ingenious, and the best part is that no one expects it of you. I bet that’s how you got away with everything over the years.” He smirked at her.

She crooked her finger at him, bringing him closer to her, “You want to know a secret?”

“Of course,” he laughed.

“In second year did you know that someone stole from Snape’s stores?”

“Yeah, he told me after it happened, he thought it was Pot….oh my gods. It was you!” he exclaimed as he pointed at her with a look of reverence in his eyes. He bowed to her as best he could while sitting down, making her laugh.

“You said it, not me.” She said as she winked at him before turning back to her food.

When she finished eating she stood up and looked at the head table and caught the potions master’s eye. He stood up and followed her out of the hall. They walked down towards the dungeons, the soft bustle of his robes running over the stones and the click of her shoes the only sounds in the hard stone hallways.

“I must say Miss Granger, I am rather shocked that it took you this long to retaliate. I would have thought you would have done something sooner, although when you get someone back, you get them good.” He chuckled to himself.

“I don’t know what you…”

“Save the lies Miss Granger, I know you. Better than you think I do. I personally would like to applaud you. Most would not have thought making them sleep in to be a punishment. But you knew that they would be embarrassed because they would be forced to rush to get ready, thus forgoing showers, toilettes and other morning faculties. And the worst thing for a Slytherin is a ruined reputation. No male Slytherin wants to be embarrassed and no female Slytherin wants to be seen without makeup or beauty products of some sort. Highly clever, ten points to Slytherin, you are most worthy of my house. And by the way, thank you for the galleons. Draco seemed to have underestimated you, thus winning me some extra money. Maybe I will buy some shampoo.”

She gawked at him. Was the whole world topsy turvy? First Malfoy compliments her, and now Snape compliments her. What is going on? Wait, did he just make a joke?

“What….” She started but was interrupted.

“Yes, Miss Granger that was a joke, I may have a reputation as an evil git and bat, but I do know how to make a joke. And just in case you were wondering, I do use shampoo. I just happen to work over cauldrons all day, not the best profession for someone who thinks only of their beauty and vanity.” He noted as they continued there solitary walk.

“Am I in trouble Professor?” She asked meekly, the gulp form her swallowing echoed down the stony, cold dungeons.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Miss Granger. You haven’t done anything wrong, have you?” He asked, as he turned to face her when they stopped in front of the entrance to the Slytherin common room. The wink that he gave her nearly knocked her over, but she understood his point. “Now let’s go wake up some sleepy serpents.”

They walked into the common room and he asked if she would like to do the honors. She smiled brightly at them and pointed her wand at her throat. “Sonorus.” With her voice amplified to echo throughout the entire dorm, se began to speak, “Get your lazy, bed ridden, snaky butts out of bed. You have five minutes to be downstairs and those that are not will lose the house fifty points” screams and gasps could be heard throughout the house as people woke up and heard the punishment, “make that fifty points each. And don’t think I won’t take them from my own house!” She added as she gave Snape a smirk worthy of himself. Pounding could be heard as everyone rushed to get dressed and get downstairs, and the echo of slamming doors fell throughout the entire dorm. In five minutes Snape and Hermione were staring at a group of bleary-eyed Slytherins still shaking from the loud and rude awakening. They smirked at each other and turned around to lead the disheveled and unorganized group out of the dungeons and into the Great Hall.

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Author's note: i really like this chapter. its probably because Snape's in it and I adore him. lol.
PLEASE let me know what you think. Reviews make me happy and make me feel better.
:)